Troubleshooting Starting Circuits

[omoore3]

My 2004 R1150r came up with a strange starting problem today and I don't where to start. I turn the key on but none of the lights go on. Press the starter--nothing. Get out my multimeter and bat is fully charged. Hook up charger to the start solenoid. Every lights up and engine starts. Ride 30 miles one way. Go to return home. Dead again. This time I jump start the solenoid to a car battery and, of course, it starts. Ride home. Turn it off and then back on dead! Sprayed contact cleaner in ignition, put the key back in. Still dead.
Any ideas will be very appreciated. Meantime I will start the chore of removing the gas tank. I love to know what idiot engineer at BMW put the battery under the gas tank.

Oliver

[swamper]

Your Battery isn't any good, replace it.

[Photoguy]

I agree, bad battery would be my first guess, despite what the Muti-meter says.

[Mr.Frequent]

Your troubleshooting experience says the battery.

[Bogdan]

Yes...the meter tells you the battery is charged. But...since the nothing happens when you press the stater button, you can't check what it reads under load. Take the battery out ( Thank the German engineers ) and take it to an auto parts place. They-ll be able to do the necessary diagnosis.

[towerworker]

A battery can show 12+ volts on a kaput battery. But you put the slightest load on it and the voltage may drop to 8v or less. A multimeter (VOM) does not give any real useful info here other than to maybe read voltage coming off the alternator when the bike is running.

I'm guessing your next question will be "what battery should I buy?" Lots of good answers to this question but one of the very best options out there (to me the very best option) is the Oydessy PC680.

https://www.amazon.com/ODYSSEY-PC680-Od ... 786&sr=8-5